From Dr. Dre to John Lautner, it all started here. The Panel House by Barbara Bestor.

From the Ground Up is a series on Archinect focused on discovering the early stages & signs of history's most prolific architects. Starting from the beginning allows us to understand the long journey architecture takes in even the formative of hands and often, surprising shifts that occur in its journey. These early projects grant us a glimpse into the early, naive, ambitious and at points rough edges of soon to be architectural masters.

While known for her quintessential acclimation, sensitivities, and approach to California inspired design, Barbara Bestor started her life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Today, while working through the images of her work, it would be hard to separate her from the world she has come to dominate. Every image of Barbara's work begs you to walk through the frame and step into the most inviting of spaces. Every color, every texture works together to produce a complete sense of home, even if the space is destined to be an office. While many of Barbara's works pull from a familiar pot, they all assemble variations of their energy and sensations which echo and only get stronger with each iteration.

Every image of Barbara's work begs you to walk through the frame and step into the most inviting of spaces.

Even from the beginning, Barbara's now powerful approach is coming through and beginning its rumblings. The play of colors, structure, lines, and framing of spaces are prominent in her first home project, the Panel House. The Panel House was built in 2001 and is discernible by its unmistakable cantilever reaching towards the views of Los Angeles.

The soon to be stylistic signatures of Bestor's later homes are the essential elements within the house. The long wall to wall metal window framing of thresholds with waterfalls of light pouring in from all angles, the structural playfulness of a delicately and masterfully controlled and exploited post and lintel system which would find its ways into an endless catalog of variations. Such playfulness would then lead to a collection of cool color tones and natural materials with luxurious, textured and bohemian styled interior spaces.

The Panel House. Image via Bestor Architecture Website

From the Panel House, Barbara would go on to produce a plethora of homes, non-homes, and renovations—from small dwellings and the Beats by Dr. Dre headquarters, to pushing and reworking John Lautner’s stunning Masterpiece, Silvertop, to a new level of architectural signification.

To hear Barbara in her own words and images, watch her lecture at Taubman College.

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About the Author

Anthony Morey is a Los Angeles-based designer, writer, theorist and curator. Currently he is the Executive Director & Chief Curator at a+d museum along with being an editor-at-large of Archinect, a discussion moderator at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and Design ...